Refrigerator car construction



July 359 19M c. D. BoNsALL 2,248,946

REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. s, 1940 z sheetssheet 1 l u II Uw" Il n u Il l :l: E 6

July 15, 194i.

C. D. BONSALL REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCT'ION Filed Jan. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mpman Hilo/ne Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES l,r'mlazrn vOFFICE REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Charles D. Bonsall, Chicago', Ill., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Refrigerator Company, a corporation of Delaware Application `January 8, 1940, Serial No. 312,851

18 Claims. (Cl. 62-17) My invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at apredetermined temperature. The essential features of a refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling means and a heating means to be used during warm and cold weather respectively.

My invention applies particularly to Cars in which the cooling means, preferably containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of, the car, communicate between the cooling means and the space under the oor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. The path is from the cooling means downwardly through the aforementioned ues, through the space under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartment thereby cooling the lading, and finally to the cooling means from where the cyclev is repeated.

My invention is particularly applicable to refrigerator cars of the hereinabove described overhead bunker type, having refrigerant containers which are wholly or partially imperforate so as to retain a'certain amount of liquid within the' container. The invention pertains particularly to valves adapted to drain the liquid from the containers either into the side wall rflue or upon the drip pan, in which latter case the liquid drains finally into the side wall ue.

An object of the invention is to provide an operating means for the above mentioned draining valves,`which means is operable from within the lading compartment of the car and may be operated without dismantling any part of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating means through which water can not fall upon the lading. Any apparatus involving moving parts, such as a handle for operating a valve, is necessarily subject to leakage around the moving parts. I prevent such leakage by disposing the moving parts above the level of the liquid upon the drip pan. y

A further object is to provide means for operating the draining valve so as not to interfere with the flow of air within the car whether such air flow is for the purpose of refrigerating, ventilating or heating the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide.

draining Valves and operating means therefor so that the valves may be operated while the lading space of the car is filled. I provide such operating means within the center duct so that a man may operate the valves upon climbing on top of the load within the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the draining valve and the operating means therefor may be cleaned and repaired upon a minimum amount of dismantling of the car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following'detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings. f

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aV partial transverse section of a refrigerator car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 showing a modified formv of operating operating means for the valve and also a means to provide accessibility to the valve for cleaning and repairing thereof. y 4 Y Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of the care shown in Fig. 1 as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

The general parts of the refrigerator car-y shown are insulated roof 2, side wall 3, oor 4, hatch 5, refrigerant container 6, side wall flue l, foraminous floor rack 8 and space 9 between rack 8 and floor 4. A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directly below the roof 2 and adjacent the side wall 3. A drip pan I2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition I4 is secured in an upstanding position at the edge of the drip pan I2. The drip pan I2 and partition I4 cooperate with the roof 2 and side wall 3 to form an enclosing structure II around the container 6,1 anair inlet opening n I5 being provided by spacing the partition I4 from the roof 2. An air discharge opening Il which leads to the flue I is formed by spacingthe drip pan I2 from the wall 3.. Cars of this type commonly have a row of refrigerant containers 6 near each side wall 3 and spaced apart at the center of the car. The partitions I4 are also spaced apart to form a duct I6 which communicates between the lading compartment I8 and openings I5.

Air circulation is as ,follows: Air in the ladingV compartment I8 is warmed by Contact with the :lading and rises through the Yduct I6 to enter the enclosing structures II through the air inlet openings I5, some of said air flowing through the passage I 9 between the refrigerant container 6 and drip pan I2. The air is cooled by contact with the refrigerant containers 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through the discharge openings I'I and flues 'I to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment I8.

As shown in Fig. l, the valve 25 is secured to the lower part of the refrigerant container 6, preferably the bottom 26 thereof, and also preferably at substantially the lowest part thereof, so that when the valve 25 is open all of the liquid in the container drains through'the valve. The valve 25 is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. An

' aperture 28 is provided in the bottom 26 of the refrigerant container 6 and said bottom'is reinforced in the vicinity of the aperture 28', preferably by a plate 38 secured tothe bottom 26, as by welding. The valve 25 comprises a casing 32 secured' to the container bottom 26 by some means, such as thebolts33,and has a substantially vertical passage 34 therethrough communicating with the aperture 28 for the new of liquid. A substantially horizontal passage 36 intersects the verticalV passage 34 and a plug 38 is nt into the horizontal passage 36 in such a way that the plug 38 is free to 'rotate within the horizontal passage 36. The plug 38 has a transverse aperture 46 therein adapted to be aligned or unaligned with the vertical passage 34 through the casing, depending upon whether the valve is to be open or-closed. In Fig. 5, the valve is shown wit-h the aperture 40 aligned with the passage 34, the valve being open. To close the valve, the plug 38 islrotated substantially 9() degrees or until the aperture 40 and passage 34 are unaligned. Theraxis of rotation of the plug 38 preferably extends substantially transversely of the car.

The plug 3B preferably has a boss 45 disposed substantially on the axis of rotationthereof and a rod 46, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected to the boss 45.A The end 48 of the rod 46 may be split and spread to straddle the boss 45 and a cotter pin 59 inserted through the 1boss 45 andthe spread ends of the rod 46 to form an operative connection between the rod 46 and the boss 45. The opposite end 52 of the rod 46 extends through an aperture 53 in the partition I4 and is provided with a handle 54 disposed within the duct" I6. The handle 54 may be pivoted (56) to the rod 46 so as tohang in a depending position, thereby preventing accidental `opening of the valve by a change in the position of the handle 54 ldue to gravitational forces.

In Fig. 2, a tubular member or a pipe 65 is shown instead of the rod 46 shown in Fig. 1. It is preferable to have a square boss 45 on the valve 25 and to atten the end of the pipe 65 so as to nt over the square boss 45. A cotter pin 66 may be inserted to insure a positive connection. The pipe 65 extends through the partition I4 in a manner heretofore described in connection with the rod 46 shown in Fig. l, but instead of a. handle an aperture 68 is provided in the pipe 65 through which a pin may be inserted when it is desired to operate the valve. This arrangement eliminates the danger of the *handev swingingduring Iservice movements of the car and thereby accidentally yoperating the valve.

It is sometimes necessary to clean or repair the Valve 25, the operating mechanism therefor provide, for this purpose, a drip pan I2- hinged (14) to the side wall lining 15, as shown in Fg. l', so that the drip pan I2 may be swung downwardly and the entire lower part of the container 6 made available for repairing or cleaning. In Fig. 2, an opening is provided in the drip pan I2 sub'- substantially below the valve 25 and a door 'I6 provided to close the opening. The drip pan I2 may be provided with depending flanges 'I8 and thedoor I6 with upstanding flanges 86 to overlap the depending flanges I8 of the drip pan I2 and thereby form a water-tight seal. A bracket VIll or any other suitable means may be provided to hold the door 'I6 in place.

It is pointed out that the operating rod 46 in Fig. l and the pipe 65 in Fig. 2 extend through an aperture 53 in the partition I4, which aperture is disposed a substantial distance above the upper surface of the drip lpan I2. The drip pan I2 has a substantial slope toward the flue 'I so that liquid which overflows from the refrigerant container 6 or condenses thereon and falls upon the drip pan I2 will ow into the side wall flue I and not through the aperture 53 in the partition'r I4. It is also pointed out that the rod 46 in Fig; l and pipe 65 in Fig. 2 are disposed substantially parallelwith the direction of air flow through the passage I9 between the container 6 and drip pan I2. The valve 25 and the operating rod 46 or pipe 65, therefore, present but asmall obstacle t0 the flow of refrigerating air. This condition is clearly shown in Fig. 3 wherein the valve` 25 and rod 46l encroach on only a relatively small. part of the passage I 9.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the prereferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the 'exact details of construction shown and described; as it is obvious that Various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur. to persons skilled in the art.

Themethod of supporting the refrigerant containers disclosed herein is claimed in my copending application filed July 24, 1939, Serial No. 286,138.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a iiue associated `with avertical wall' thereof, a refrigerant containerbelow the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced-below said container to form a passage whichconducts air to said flue, a partition upstanding from said'drip pan remote from said wall andmeans forming a duct for upward now'of warm air adjacent said partition, means4 fordraining liquid from said container into said passage and means operable from said duct for draining means;

'3. In a` refrigerator car having a ue associated with a verticalwall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof andadjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below vsaid container to form a passage which conducts air to said iiue and means'forminga duct for upward now of warm air adjacent said container, means for draining liquid from said container intol saidpassage comprising a valveassociated with the bottom of amebic through and a plug adapted to open and close said opening upon rotation thereof and means operable from said duct for rotating said plug.

4. In a refrigerator car having a ue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip .pan spaced below said container to form a passage'which conductsV air to said iiue and means forminga ductfor upward flow of warm air adjacent said container, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a valve associated with said container adapted to be opened and closed by rotation of,

a plug and means operable fromsaid duct for rotating said plug. f. l

5. In a refrigerator car having a ue associated with a vertical wallthereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue, a parti.- tion upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a valve associated with the bottom of said container on the exterior thereof remote from said duct, said valve comprised of a casing having an opening therethrough and a plug adapted to open and close said opening upon rotation thereof on an axis transverse to said wall and means operable from said duct for rotating said plug comprising a rod within said passage engaged with said plug and extending through said partition into said duct and means disposed in said duct to rotate said rod.

6. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant'.

container below the roof and adjacent saidwall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said flue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a valve associated with the bottom of said container on the exterior thereof remote from said duct, said valve comprised of a casing having an opening therethrough and a plug adapted to open and close said opening upon rotation thereof on an axis transverse to said wall and means operable from said duct for rotating said plug comprising a rod within said passage engaged with said plug and extending through said partition into said duct and means disposed in said duct to rotate said rod, said last mentioned means comprising a handle pivoted to said rod.

'7. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which conducts air to said iiue, a partition upstanding from said drip pan remote from said wall and means forming a duct for upward flow of warm air adjacent said partition, means for draining liquid from said container into said passage comprising a valve associated with the bottom of said container on the exterior thereof remote from said duct, said valve comprised of a casing having an opening therethrough and a plug adapted to open and close said opening upon rotation thereof on an axis transverse to said wall and means operable from said duct for rotating said plug comprising a rod within said passage engaged with said lplug and extending through said partition into said duct and means disposed in said duct to rotate said rod, said last mentioned means comprising an aperture through said rod and a pin removably inserted in said aperture. Y Y j 8. V,In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with :avertical wall thereof, a refrigerant con-A tainer below the roof and adjacent said wall and an enclosing structure for saidl container substantially closed except for a cold air discharge opening leading to said flue and an air inlet opening at a higher elevation than the discharge opening, said structure being spaced from the container to provide a passage for air flow from said inlet to said discharge opening, means for draining liquid from said container comprising a valve associated with said container adapted to be opened land closed by rotation of a plug and meansto operate said draining means from the exterior of said enclosing structure, said last mentioned means comprising a rod engaged with said plug and extending parallel with said air flow.

9. In a refrigerator having a roof and a wall, a flue associated with said Wall, a refrigerant container below said roof and adjacent said Wall, an enclosure for said container arranged to cooperate therewith to form a passage which communicates with said flue, means to direct a flow of air .through said passage and said iiue, a valve associated with the lower part of said container fordraining therefrom the contents thereof, and means extending through said passage for operating said valve from exterior of said enclosure.

10. l In a refrigerator having a roof and a wall, a flue associated with said wall, a refrigerant container below said roof and adjacent said wall, an enclosure for said container arranged to cooperate therewith to form a passage which communicates with said flue, means to direct a flow o-f air through said passage and said flue, a valve associated with the lower part of said container for draining therefrom the contents thereof, and means extending through said passage for operating said valve from exterior of said enclosure, said last mentioned means arranged to leave said passage substantially unrestricted for air flow.

11. In a refrigerator having a roof and a wall, a flue associated with said wall, a refrigerant container below said roof and adjacent said wall, an enclosure for said container, a passage adjacent said container Which communicates with said flue, means to direct a flow of air through said passage and said flue, av valve associated with the lower part of said container for draining therefrom the contents thereof, and means extending through said pasasge for operating said valve from exterior of said enclosure, said last mentioned means arranged to leave said passage substantially unrestricted for air iiow.

12. In a refrigerator having a roof and -a wall, a iiue associated with said wall, a refrigerant container below said roof and adjacent said wall, an enclosure for said container arranged to cooperate therewith to form a passage which communicates with said flue, means to direct a flow of air through said passage and said iiue, a valve associated with the lower part of said container for draining therefrom the contents thereof, and a rod for operating said valve extending through a portion of said passage to the exterior of the enclosure, said rod being substantially parallel with from the contents thereof, and a rod for operat-ving said valve extending through a portion of said passage to the exterior ofthe enclosure, said rod being substantiallyparallel with the direction of air flow through said pasasge for the purpose specified. v

14. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container belowthe roof and adjacent-said Wall,r

an enclosure for said container, a passage adjacent said container which communicates with said ilue to provide, in combination therewith; a conduit for flow of air, means forming a duct adjacent said container for upward flow of warm air, means associated with said container to discharge the contents thereof into said conduit, and means operable from said duct for operating said discharging means. 1

15. In a refrigerator car having a flue associated with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent said Wall, a drip pan spaced below said container to form a passage which communicates with -said flue to provide, in combination therewith, a conduit for flow of air, means forming a duct adjacent said Y container for upward flow of warmA air, means associated with said container to Adischarge the contents thereof into said conduit, an opening in said drip pan-below said discharging means, a door adapted to close said opening, and means operable from said duct .for operating s-aid discharging means.

16. In arefrigeratorcar-having a iluel associated` with a vertical wall thereof, a refrigerant container belowV the roof and adjacent said wall,

an enclosure for said container, a passage. adja-y cent said container which communicates with charge the` contents thereof into said conduit,-

comprising-farvalve adapted to be opened and closed upon rotation of a plug, a rod operatively connected to said plug and extending into said duct, and a handle in said duct operatively con-A nected near one end of the handle to said rod, said handle` arranged to depend from said rod when the valve is closed.

17. In -combination with the walls, roof and floor of -a-refrigerator car, a refrigerant container below the-roof, an enclosure for said container, said car having a lading compartmentv enclosed by said walls, oor and the lower part of said enclosure,a duct arranged to provide a path for air flowV from the upper part of said lading compartment -to the upper part of said enclosure,

means for Vdischarging the contents from said container, and means operable from said duct for oper-ating said rst mentioned means.

18. Incombination with the walls, vroof and floor of a refrigerator car, a pair of refrigerant containers below the roof, enclosures for said containers, said car having a lading compartment enclosed by said walls, floor and the lower parts of said enclosures, said enclosures being spaced apart to form a` duct arranged to provide a path for air flow from the upper part of said lading compartment to the upper parts of said enclosures, means for discharging the contents from one of said containers, and means operable from said duct for operating said iirst mentioned means.

CHARLES D. BONSALL. 

